Yeah, someone joked, but he probably can't remember where he left his car keys.

"No," Hoffman answered. "My daughter probably stole those."

Experience playing TPC Boston well could help when the Deutsche Bank Championship gets underway on Friday,

"I can tell you the majority of the spots where I've hit it throughout the years," Hoffman said. "I think that's what makes a good golfer really good. You know where you want to be and you don't want to be. That's why guys on the Tour for a longer time have the advantage over a rookie because you sort of know the nuances of the golf course."

But such positive experience is not required. Adam Scott won the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2003 as a sponsor's exemption in his first trip here.

Of course, that was the inaugural event so no one had played the course before. Scott's winning experience, however, helped him tie for second the following year. Olin Browne won here in 2005 after tying for 47th and missing the cut in his previous two trips here. Rory McIlroy won here in 2012 after tying for 37th in 2010 in his only other visit.

"I wouldn't say there was a big learning curve on this golf course," Hoffman said, "but it's a golf course that everybody knows you're going to have to go out and make birdies. You've got to get to 20-something under. There's guys shooting 60, 61 or 62 every year out here."

Seven past champions qualified to tee off in the opening round today — defending champion Henrik Stenson, McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Hoffman, Phil Mickelson, Scott and Singh. After missing the cut last weekend at the Barclays, Mickelson said he might skip the Deutsche Bank to take a break from a disappointing season, but he hasn't withdrawn yet. Mickelson's only top 10 this season came when he placed second at the PGA Championship.

Tiger Woods, the 2006 Deutsche Bank champion, didn't qualify this year, but the event continues to benefit his foundation and his foundation continues to run the event. Woods will miss the Deutsche Bank for only the third time in the event's 12-year history.

At 7,216 yards, the par-71 TPC Boston favors long hitters such as Hoffman.

"This is a big hitter's golf course," Hoffman said. "It's a big advantage. Is that right or wrong? That's not for me to make that decision, but definitely a guy that hits it a little longer has a little bit of advantage on this golf course."

The top 100 golfers in the FedExCup standings qualified to compete in the second round of the playoffs at TPC Boston this week, but only 94 will tee off in the opening round on Friday because Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia skipped the event to rest, Graeme McDowell and Paul Casey withdrew due to their wives giving birth, Jason Duffner pulled out with a neck injury, and Dustin Johnson is on a voluntary leave for "personal challenges."

Hunter Mahan, McIroy and Jimmy Walker, the top three in the FedExCup standings, will tee off together on the 10th tee at 9:20 a.m. on Friday in the opening round. Matt Kuchar, Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk, the next three highest ranked players in the standings, will tee off together on the first tee at 1:40 p.m.

The top 70 golfers will advance next week to the BMW Championship in Cherry Hills Village, Colo., and the top 30 after that event will qualify for the Tour Championship in Atlanta the following week. The FedExCup champion will receive $10 million.

The Deutsche Bank Championship provides golfers one last chance to impress U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson before he makes his three captain's picks on Tuesday.

Brandt Snedeker is ranked 71st in FedExCup points entering the Deutsche Bank Championship and is among those hoping to move into the top 70. Stenson, the defending FedExCup champion, is ranked 66th, just inside the top 70.

Contact Bill Doyle at william.doyle@telegram.com.Follow him on Twitter @BillDoyle15.